The White House and Congress agreed to both a short-term deal and a longer-term one funding the government through 2011 and cutting more than $35 billion. OMB issued new guidance telling agencies to resume normal operations which means feds should report to work as usual.

If a shutdown does happen, feds will be faced with logistical nightmare. John Koskinen, an executive with Freddie Mac and former Deputy Director for Management at OMB,shares his experience during the 1995-96 shutdown.